A smlie on the face of Jez Bragg as he arrives at the Threshfield finish in record time

Ultra runner Jez Bragg set a new fastest time in one of Britain’s toughest races at the weekend.

The Dorset-based athlete broke the six-year-old record for the 97km (60-mile) Fellsman course when he arrived at the finish after 10hrs 6mins out on the high ground of the Yorkshire Dales.

The North Face team member shaved nine minutes off the previous record set by Mark Hartell in 2005. Hartell himself withdrew from the race 18km (11 miles) in, at Kingsdale, after suffering a pulled hamstring on Whernside.

The impressive win for 30-year-old Bragg came on only his second excursion on the course, which crosses most of the high fells of the southern Dales. His first foray in 2009 resulted in a win, with this year’s record victory beating his own previous time by 44 minutes.

Nicky Spinks: fastest woman, and third place overall

Pushing the top athletes was fastest female runner and Dark Peak Fell Runners member Nicky Spinks who came third overall with a time of 11hrs 51mins, 48 mins faster than her 2010 time, and five places higher.

The event took place in cool, blustery conditions, which winner Bragg said helped him keep cool and aid his progress. 363 runners and walkers started the Fellsman, with 108 falling out of the event en route.

A more detailed report with pictures will appear on grough shortly.